Pin fastener



G. JOHNSON May 17, I932.

PiN FASTENER Filed Sept. 24, 1931 u uu Patented May 17, 1932 UNITED STATES GUSTAV JOHNSON, or WEST RoxBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, As'smnoi 'ro UNITED-calm FASTENER CORPORATION, MASSACHUSETTS on cAMBaIneE, MASSACHUSETTS, ,A YCORPOBATIIQN or PIN FASTENER j l I Application: filed September 24, 1931. Serial No. 564,804.

My invention aims to provide improvements in pin fasteners particularly, though not exclusively, useful in connection with the attachment of slip covers and the like to various types of upholstery installations.

In the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is an elevation view of a portion of an installation showing my pin fastener as it appears when the fastener locking and stabbing prong is about to be entered into the material held under tension by the pin legs;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken through a portion of an upholstery installation and through the pin fastener showing the manner in which the fastener is attached to the installation;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation of thepin fastener; and

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through a portion of an upholstery insulationwherein the upholstery is more apt to yield against the pressure of the stabbing prong than in the type of installation shown in Fig. 2.

WVhile I have illustrated in the drawings my invention in connection with one particular pin fastener structure, it should be understood that the idea of providing means for holding the slip cover, or the like, under tension while a stabbing prong is being forced therethrough may be used in connection with any desirable pin fastener structure.

Heretofore, so far as I am aware, hinged pin fastener structureshaving stabbing prongs carried by the hinged part have been provided with a pair of parallel sharp pointed pin legs spaced the same distance apart throughout theirlengths. Ihave foundthatwiththistype of structure certain materials used as slip covers or the like are not pierced by the stabbing prong when the hinged part is pressed into locking position. Therefore, the fastener is improperly attached and is likely to become accidentally displaced from the installation. The diificulties just described occur more particularly in connection with installations such as shown'in Fig. 4, because the upholstery material is somewhat free to yield against the pressure of the stabbing prong.

In order to overcome the objections referred to above, I have provided a pin fastener with means whereby the material to be attached to the upholstery'installation is held under'te'nsion-while thestabbing prong is being pressed thereagainst, In fact it. might be accurately stated that the material is stretched adjacent to the point where th stabbing prong is to pierce it.

Referring to the particular structure illustrated by the drawings, I have shown (Fig. 3) a pin fastener having an attaching part formed from wire and a plate'part 1 secured to the attaching part in hinged relation thereto by means of hinge portions 22.

The attaching part is preferably made from a single piece'of wire and has-two sharp pointed'legs 3 spaced from each other and having bends 4 whereby the lower portions of the legs are spaced closer together in parallel relation than the upper portions of the legs for the purposes hereinafter described. The legs are secured together at their upper ends by a connecting portion 5 having a triangular-shaped loop 6 formed therein and located between the widely spaced portions of the legs 3. The hinge portions 2-2 of the plate 1 engage the connecting portion 5 at opposite sides of the loop 6, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The plate part 1 has locking means in the form of a sharp pointed stabbing prong 7 extending from the lower edge first upwardly underneath the plate part and then outwardly away from the plate part, as shown in Fig. 2. The stabbing prong 7 is curved longitudinally throughout that portion which extends away from the plate 1 and is adapted to cooperate with the flat portion 8 of the loop 6 to hold the plate in a locked position with relation to the attaching part.

To attach the fastener to an upholstery structure such as shown in either Fig. 2 or Fig. 4 the plate part 1 is first swung into unlocked position (Fig. 1) substantially at right angles to the attaching part. Then with the plate part 1 grasped between the thumb and the first and second fingers the sharp pointed legs 3 may be easily forced through the slip cover 9 and into embedding relation with the upholstery, 10. Since the l l li 1) in order to adapt'the spacing thereof to the increased distance betweenthose portions of the legs above the bends 4.

It will be readily understood therefore that the material underlyingtheloop 6 is held under tension by the legs 3'of the attaching" part. Withthe' installation in. the condition just previously stated. the plate part his then pressed towardthe slip cover 9-and the stabbing prong 'Z' willbe readily, forced through the'slip cover and into the upholstery ma- .terial, thereby locking the fastenerv against accidental removal, as. shown in Figs 2 and 4. During the latter part of'the attaching operation the stabbing prong/7 passes adjacent to the flat portion.8 of the loop16 and when the plate part 1 is pressed against the slip cover 9v the fiat portion 8 of theloop-fi .will. enter an irregularity 12. formed inthe prong 7, thereby securely lockingthe plate in position against accidental. unlocking thereof. When the fastener is attachedas above described removal is resisted by the stabbing prong. 7 and also by the bends 4in thelegs; 3t To remove the fastener it-is merely necessary-tolift the lower edge. of the .p;l-ate...part1thereby pulling the prong 17 free from the installation... The fastener. may then be. grasped by the plate part. 1 andremoved by exertingan upward pnll thereon. While- I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of myinvention I do not wish tobe limited thereby, becausethe scope of my invention is best defined by the following claims;

I;cla-im-: 1 V v 1. A pin fastener-comprising, llLCOHIlDination, a plate part, attachingmeans forsecuring said plate part to a. suitable material, hinge means securing saidplatepart and attaching means together; a stabbingprong extending from said plate part: and. saidzattaching means havinga pair of sharp pointed legs spaced (closer together. adj acent to their pointed endsth an at'the opposite ends whereby a material pierced by the legs is tensioned when the fastener is attachedto facilitate piercing oftheinaterial by the stabbing p e-i 2; Ap-in fastener comprising, in combination, an-attachingpart havinga pair of sharp pointed legs, arportion connecting .said 1 legs together.- at oneaend, apart hinged tosaid connecting portion "and having. astabbing prong extending :rearwardly therefromand each of isaidi legs having :a bend spacing said together at one end, a part hinged to said connectingporti-on and having a stabbing prong extending rearwardly tli-erefron'r and each of said legs having- 'a'bend spaci-i-lg'said legs elbser together adjacent to their pointed ends than at the opposite ends whereby a material=pierced bythe'legs is tensioned when the fastener is attached-to, facilitate piercing, of the material by the stabbing prong and: means provided partly by the stabbing prong. and partly by thev attaching. part whereby the hinged part nia'y be loclredin: a given position with'relationto the attaching part. v 4. A pin-fastenercomprising, i-n combination, an attaching parthaving a pair of'sharp pointed legs, a portion connecting. said legs together at one end, a part hinged to said connecting portion and having a stabbing prong v extending; rearwardly therefromand each of said legs havingfa. bend spacing said legs closer together adjacent'to their pointed ends than at the opposite:ends'whereby a material pierced by the legs is tensioned when the fastener is attached to facilitate piercing ofthe material'by the stabbing prong, and said stabbing prongbeing located between said bends insaid legs andthe connected ends of said legs- 5. A double pointed pin fastener comprising anvattaching part and aplate part 1, the attaching part having two sharp pointed legs 3 connected by a. portion ,5 having a triangular-shaped loop 6" located between the legs 3, aflat portion-8 provided at the end of said triangular-shaped loop 6' thereby providing a substantial bearing surface, hinges 2 -2 provided by the plate part 1 andengaging the connecting portion 5, a stabbing" prong"? located beneath the plate part land having a sharp pointediprong for engagementwvith the medium to which the fastener is to be at tach'ed to lock it in place and for engagement with the flat bearing surface ofthe triangular-shapedloop; Gto lock the plate'part'l'in a{ given relation: to the attachin part and eachof said legs-3 having a hen 5 4sp'acin'g. said legs closer together adjacent to their pointed. ends than at the opposite ends whereby a material. pierced by the legs is tensioned when the fastener is attached to facilitate piercing of Y the material by the stabbing prongf'z. g

a In testimony whereof, I-ha-ve signed-my name to this specification.

ens-rev JOHN-son." ,t 

